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Eyewitness News
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Eyewitness News
Turkish magazine staff in custody over 'disrespectful' cartoon
ISTANBUL, TURKEY - Four staff members at satirical Turkish magazine LeMan were remanded in custody Wednesday over accusations they published a caricature of the Prophet Mohammed, a case that watchdogs have called an attack on press freedom. The four, who deny any link between the illustration and the prophet, were held as part of prosecutors' probe into what Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc called the "disrespectful drawing". He added that a warrant has been issued for two additional suspects who were abroad. The publication of the cartoon and arrests of staff at the opposition magazine led to clashes in Istanbul on Monday. News site T24 published the police deposition of cartoonist Dogan Pehlevan in which he said that he wanted "to talk about peace in this drawing" and condemned "provocateurs". "I have been drawing in Turkey for many years. The first rule you learn is not to address religious issues and not to mock religion," he said. "I have always adhered to this principle. I reject the accusations levelled against me," he added. The drawing in question shows two characters meeting in the sky above a city devastated by bombs. One is named Muhammed and the other Musa. "I just wanted to highlight the absurdity of war, to show that people can get along but do you have to be dead to realise that? That's my only message," he added. On Monday evening, a favourite haunt of LeMan staff in the Istiklal district of Istanbul was attacked. It escalated into a pitched battle between about 300 people, including people defending the magazine and furious at the arrests. On Tuesday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the cartoon a "despicable provocation" and a "hate crime" whose authors will have to answer for "disrespecting the prophet". 'POLITICAL OPPORTUNISTS' Despite a ban, some 300 people also gathered around Taksim Mosque in central Istanbul, shouting "don't forget Charlie Hebdo", referring to a deadly Islamist militant attack on the French magazine in 2015. LeMan's editor-in-chief Tuncay Akgun told AFP that the drawing in question "has nothing to do with the Prophet Mohammed", adding: "We would never take such a risk." "The character is a Muslim killed in Gaza... He was called Muhammed (like) more than 200 million people in the Muslim world," he said. In a joint statement, Turkey's TGS press union and professional organisations said they had "great concern" at the rise in attacks and "violent rhetoric" due to the publication. Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders, the international network Cartooning for Peace and the US association Cartoonists Rights condemned the attack on press freedom in Turkey. They called on the Turkish authorities to ensure the safety of the editorial team. Terry Anderson, of Cartoonists Rights, said the arrests were "based on a lie and are being exploited by political opportunists for intimidation and repression". "We demand the release of those detained and an immediate end to these baseless prosecutions," he added. Many Turks and press organisations drew a parallel with the attack on LeMan and the Sivas massacre in 1993, when a radical Islamist mob set fire to a hotel, killing 33 writers and artists mainly from the Alevi minority. The protesters had been angered by the presence of the writer Aziz Nesin who had questioned the authenticity of the Koran and also sought to translate Salman Rushdie's controversial novel "The Satanic Verses".
France 24
02-07-2025
- Politics
- France 24
Turkey detains satirical magazine staff over cartoon accused of insulting the Prophet Mohammed
Four staff members at satirical Turkish magazine LeMan have been remanded in custody over claims that they published a caricature of the Prophet Mohammed, the government said on Wednesday. The four, who deny the accusations, were arrested as part of a probe by prosecutors in Istanbul into what Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc called the "disrespectful drawing". "An arrest warrant has been issued for two suspects currently abroad," he added on X. The publication of the cartoon and arrests of staff at the opposition magazine led to clashes in Istanbul on Monday night. News site T24 published the police deposition of cartoonist Dogan Pehlevan in which he said that he wanted "to talk about peace in this drawing" and condemned "provocateurs". "I have been drawing in Turkey for many years. The first rule you learn is not to address religious issues and not to mock religion," he added. "I have always adhered to this principle. I reject the accusations levelled against me." The drawing in question shows two characters meeting in the sky above a city devastated by bombs. One is named Muhammad and the other Musa. "I just wanted to highlight the absurdity of war, to show that people can get along but do you have to be dead to realise that? That's my only message," he added. On Monday evening, a favourite haunt of LeMan staff in the Istiklal district of Istanbul was attacked. It escalated into a pitched battle between about 300 people, including people defending the magazine and furious at the arrests. On Tuesday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the cartoon a "vile provocation" and a "hate crime" whose authors will have to answer for "disrespecting the prophet". Despite a ban, some 300 people also gathered around Taksim Mosque in central Istanbul, shouting "don't forget Charlie Hebdo", referring to a deadly Islamist militant attack on the French magazine in 2015. LeMan's editor-in-chief Tuncay Akgun told AFP that the drawing in question "has nothing to do with the Prophet Mohammed", adding: "We would never take such a risk." "The character is a Muslim killed in Gaza... He was called Mohammed (like) more than 200 million people in the Muslim world," he said.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Turkey Balances Carbon Interests with Green Ambitions
Complicating Turkey's COP31 bid is Ankara's diplomatic distancing from the West in recent years, coupled with mounting democratic backsliding, underscored by the recent arrest of Erdoan's leading political rival, Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, who maintains his jailing is politically motivated. To secure COP31, Turkey is expected to engage in high-level dialogue seeking support from Western Europe, North America and New Zealand. According to Ümit ?ahin, a prominent Turkish climate expert and the coordinator of climate change studies at the Istanbul Policy Center, Turkey's ability to secure COP31 will require some adjustments to the government's present foreign political course. 'Turkey needs to move beyond seemingly logical reasons such as fossil fuels or carbon footprints and instead make a fully political intervention, which perhaps could be an argument that Turkey will further align itself with the West,' ?ahin said in a recent interview with Turkish news outlet T24. 'As long as these steps are not taken, EU support cannot be secured, and it seems very difficult for Turkey to win.' Australia's COP31 bid has experienced a hiccup since the UN climate summit in Baku. According to a report published by the Australian Associated Press, some elements within the country's coalition government believe hosting a global summit would not be a wise expenditure of taxpayer funds. But Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen sought to tamp down speculation that Australia might back out. 'We are bidding to host COP31 in partnership with the Pacific because it is in Australia's national interest to bring down energy bills and emissions with reliable renewables while safeguarding our international relationships,' the AAP quoted Bowen as saying. Perhaps surprisingly, Turkish civil society organizations – which have come under growing pressure from Erdo?an's regime in recent years, and are often at odds with the government's climate policies – generally are supportive of the government's COP31 bid. Experts argue that hosting the summit could push Turkey toward adopting more decisive climate policies. ?ahin notes that securing COP31 could encourage Turkey to take more concrete steps, such as phasing out coal and enacting stronger environmental protections. Environmental organizations, including Greenpeace, also have voiced support for Turkey's bid, with Berkan Özyer, program director of Greenpeace Mediterranean, commenting that hosting COP31 could give Turkey's climate movement a much-needed boost by encouraging bolder decision-making. Whether or not Turkey can win EU support for its bid could be the determining factor in the COP31 hosting competition. With the EU seeking to bolster its energy security — and Turkey well positioned to assist through the Southern Gas Corridor and renewed high-level dialogue — Ankara holds valuable cards. Yet, ongoing concerns over democratic backsliding cast a shadow over its credibility. By Ata Turkoglu via More Top Reads From this article on
Arab News
13-03-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Turkiye's independent news websites face closure risk after Google changes
ISTANBUL: Several independent media outlets in Turkiye face a potential risk of closure after algorithm changes made by Google led to a significant reduction in reader traffic, a joint statement from the outlets said on Thursday. They said Google's algorithm changes since the end of January had wiped out the vast majority of reader traffic to their websites, previously directed through Google's 'Discover' and 'News' tools, and had harmed their finances. Independent news websites including T24, Medyascope, Diken, and Birgun said that Google's changes also blocked the public's access to news, adding that they would take legal action. 'As independent media organizations operating in Turkiye, we announce that we will stand up for our corporate rights, our employees' work and the support of our readers, which have been stolen by Google's actions, on every platform,' they said. They said they would apply to local and international legal bodies, notably Turkiye's Competition Authority. A Google spokesperson, requesting anonymity, said its changes do not target individual websites and that they are designed to improve its search facility overall. 'We don't and would never manipulate search results, modify our products, or enforce our policies to promote or disadvantage any particular viewpoint,' the spokesperson said. In 2024, Turkiye ranked 158th out of 180 countries in the press freedom index of the free speech advocacy group Reporters Without Borders. Its report said that with some 90 percent of Turkiye's media under government influence, Turks recently turned to critical or independent media outlets for domestic news. Independent media outlets in Turkiye are highly dependent on Google revenues as private companies are reluctant to advertise on independent websites. On Wednesday, independent news outlet Gazete Duvar announced its closure, citing revenue losses triggered by Google's algorithm changes alongside inflationary economic conditions.
Reuters
13-03-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Turkey's independent news websites face closure risk after Google changes
ISTANBUL, March 13 (Reuters) - Several independent media outlets in Turkey face a potential risk of closure after algorithm changes made by Google (GOOGL.O), opens new tab led to a significant reduction in reader traffic, a joint statement from the outlets said on Thursday. They said Google's algorithm changes since the end of January had wiped out the vast majority of reader traffic to their websites, previously directed through Google's "Discover" and "News" tools, and had harmed their finances. Independent news websites including T24, Medyascope, Diken, and Birgun said that Google's changes also blocked the public's access to news, adding that they would take legal action. "As independent media organisations operating in Turkey, we announce that we will stand up for our corporate rights, our employees' work and the support of our readers, which have been stolen by Google's actions, on every platform," they said. They said they would apply to local and international legal bodies, notably Turkey's Competition Authority. A Google spokesperson, requesting anonymity, said its changes do not target individual websites and that they are designed to improve its search facility overall. "We don't and would never manipulate search results, modify our products, or enforce our policies to promote or disadvantage any particular viewpoint," the spokesperson said. In 2024, Turkey ranked 158th out of 180 countries in the press freedom index of the free speech advocacy group Reporters Without Borders. Its report said that with some 90% of Turkey's media under government influence, Turks recently turned to critical or independent media outlets for domestic news. Independent media outlets in Turkey are highly dependent on Google revenues as private companies are reluctant to advertise on independent websites. On Wednesday, independent news outlet Gazete Duvar announced its closure, citing revenue losses triggered by Google's algorithm changes alongside inflationary economic conditions.
